The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector assembly which comprises intermatable male and female connectors such as plug and receptacle connectors, and more particularly to a matching male and female connector assembly which has characteristic fitting parts for the contacts of the male and female connectors.
Generally, an electrical connector assembly comprises a plug connector (male connector) and a receptacle connector (female connector), which constitute a matching male and female connector assembly. Each of the male and female connectors includes a plurality of contacts, which are aligned and retained in an electrically insulative retaining member. When the male and female connectors are mated with each other, the contacts of one connector are brought into contact with those of the other connector, respectively, for electrical connection.
For example, a construction which enables the connection of the contacts of matable connectors in the above mentioned way is shown in FIG. 18. This matching male and female connector assembly comprises a first and second connectors 201 and 211. The first connector 201 includes a plurality of first contacts 202, which are aligned and retained in a first retaining member 203, while the second connector 211 includes a plurality of second contacts 212, which are aligned and retained in a second retaining member 213. In this connector assembly, when the two retaining members are mated with each other, the second contact portions 212a, which are located at the front ends of the second contacts 212, are inserted into the space between the first contact portions 202a, which are located at the front ends of the first contacts 202, and a side wall 203a of the first retaining member 203 to bring the second contacts 212 into contact with the first contacts 202 for electrical connection.
Recently, connectors have undergone miniaturization and multi-terminalization, and the size and the alignment pitch of the contacts have been reduced to match the miniaturization and the multi-terminalization. Therefore, in the above mentioned prior-art matching male and female connector assembly, there is a concern that the second contact portions 212a, which are thin pins and are located at the front ends of the second contacts 212, may be deformed by a lateral force when the second contact portions 212a are brought into contact with the first contact portions 202a of the first contacts 202. This concern becomes a serious problem as the contacts are miniaturized progressively.
In this connector assembly, the first connector 201 gains the contact pressure necessary for secure electrical connection by holding the second contact portions 212a between the first contact portions 202a and the side wall 203a of the first retaining member 203. If the miniaturization of the connector assembly progresses, the side wall 203a of the first connector 201 will become thinner, eventually presenting a shortage of strength.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a matching male and female connector assembly which has a strength to provide the contacts with a sufficient contact pressure necessary for secure electrical connection without any adverse deformation of the contact portions even in a connector which has been miniaturized with a substantially narrow contact alignment pitch.
A matching male and female connector assembly according to the present invention comprises a first connector (e.g., the receptacle connector R described in the following embodiment) and a second connector (e.g., the plug connector P described in the following embodiment). The first connector includes a plurality of first contacts (e.g., the receptacle contacts 70 described in the following embodiment) and a first retaining member (e.g., the receptacle retaining member 60 described in the following embodiment) made of an electrically insulative material. The second connector includes a plurality of second contacts (e.g., the plug contacts 40 described in the following embodiment) and a second retaining member (e.g., the plug retaining member 10 described in the following embodiment) made of an electrically insulative material. The first retaining member aligns and retains the first contacts, each of which has a female contact portion in a tuning fork-like shape. The second retaining member aligns and retains the second contacts, each of which has a male contact portion, which is brought into contact with a corresponding female contact portion by insertion of the male contact portion into the tuning fork-like female contact portion. In this matching male and female connector assembly, the first connector and the second connector are engaged with each other for electrical connection through the insertion of the male contact portions into the female contact portions, respectively. Therefore, the second retaining member includes a reinforcing member (e.g., the plug extrusion 12 described in the following embodiment) which extends along a side of the male contact portions of the second contacts retained in the second retaining member. Thus, while the first connector and the second connector are being brought into engagement with each other, the male contact portions along with the reinforcing member are inserted as a one body into the female contact portions to bring the male contact portions into contact with the female contact portions for electrical connection of the first contacts and the second contacts.
In the first connector of this matching male and female connector assembly, the female contact portions, which are formed in a tuning fork-like shape, are made of a metallic plate to have a relatively high strength for holding the male contact portions, which are inserted therein. Because the male contact portions are held by the female contact portions, the first retaining member, which is molded of a resin with a relatively small strength, is not used for the purpose of holding the male contact portions. Therefore, even if the miniaturization of the connector assembly progresses, and the side wall of the first retaining member becomes thinner, there will be no problem of insufficient strength. Moreover, there will be no deformation of the second contacts even though they are made relatively thin with a narrow alignment pitch in correspondence with the miniaturization and the multi-terminalization of the connector assembly because the male contact portions, which are strengthened and supported by the reinforcing member in the second connector, are inserted as a one body with the reinforcing member into the female contact portions.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.